Saturday, 18 June 2011

I looked at all of the photos of BlogHer 2007 and thought, how cool. The following year, I was knee-deep in chemo and baby poo ... watching BlogHer 2008 unfold was fascinating and a welcome distraction. The Bloggess called dooce a mythical hobbit and dooce dissed her. (They're friends now, though.)

I was aching to go in 2009, but just couldn't justify it. My friends Gemini Girl (Happy 30th birthday, mon cherie!) and Heather shared a hotel room and I told them ... next year. The twitter hashtag meant I didn't miss a goddamn thing that year. (Except actually being there.) I watched live as the whole #nikonhatesbabies happened. I read live-tweets of the conference sessions, it looked amazing, inspiring. What must it feel like, to meet other, actual, real-life bloggers?

Last year, I was a BlogHer Voice of the Year. I told Dave I was going. And I meant it, and I knew I meant it. He came with me - for the first time in my life, I met other, actual, real-life bloggers. It was unbelievable. I silently decided to go every year.

The great thing about the Australian blogging scene .... is that there is an Australian blogging scene. After so many years of trying to find some blogging homies - they're here. I met the irrepressible Mrs Woog at the end of last year, at the Sydney Bloggers Festival. Not long after, we were having a chat and I told her I was going to BlogHer again. She turned to me and said, "Me too. Let's get sponsorship and go together."

So we got sponsorship and we're going together.

I stayed the night at Woogsies house the other week. We talked and laughed and ate her husbands bundt and watched a chick flick with Sawhole. Mrs Woog is an amazing creature ... her blog got very popular very quickly. She keeps things real, talks to everyone, and calls a spade a spade. She's not afraid of anything. Either am I. Ready, America?

We made up a Very Official BlogHer Sponsor Us! PDF complete with stats and a proposal, and sent it off to all of the contacts we knew. We received a few nibbles, and then a chomp. Naked Communications wanted to chat to us. One of their clients were interested in a deal.

Ribena.

I have been a Ribena fan my whole life. I used to have it in my sippy cup as a toddler. And during my nap I'd hold my cup out of the bars of my cot and, facing the wall, shout out: 'MORE PEAS MORE PEAS.'

Mrs Woog and I walked into the offices of the gorgeous Larissa and Lorraine at Naked in Surry Hills. I see creative people ... my GOD I can't believe offices like that exist. So cool and hip and creative and amazing. I was bumbling and nervous, and had to go out halfway through because my parking meter had expired. I ran across the road to a guy writing me out a ticket. Nooooooo! He shrugged and said, sorry! His buddy came up behind him, looked at me and winked, and said Oh, she was here before. So the ticket got ripped up and I bowed and said "GOOD KARMA FOR YOU!" Walking back into the best offices in the world, I thought - it's a sign. We're totally going to BlogHer.

Woogs and I enquired about the Ribena Buggy. Maybe we could get it to take us to the airport in August? The Ribena guy said, actually ... it's over at Fox Studios for a promotion.

Woogs and I had everybody in my car quicker than you could say, "Photo op!"

We met all of the promo girls in the Ribena Buggy. They were friendly, and handing out free slushies. (I used to be a promotions girl at the Bathurst 5000. I used to be hot.) I was acutely aware that these beautiful, tall promo girls were so young ... we were two middle-aged mothers. So we pushed them out of the way and stole their hats.

Manhand!

THE RIBENA BUGGY IS A FORD!Sponsors collide.

Mrs Woog is incredibly shy ...

Ribena is on Facebook where they'll soon announce an amazing competition. They also sent me through some amazing recipes, including a salad dressing, smoothie recipe, and a "Ribena Blackcurrant Reduction for Pan-Seared Pork Tenderloin." WHAT?

I love how they trust us - it's been a while since our photo shoot, and I was convinced that the bigwigs wouldn't sign off. But they did. They're even going to post us a slushie machine each. For some reason, out of everything - that is what Dave keeps telling everyone. "And, guess what ... they're even posting her a slushie machine." I finally told him, hon .. pretty sure you can buy slushie machines for forty bucks from K-Mart.

I still hear him telling people about the slushies.

I'd like to thank Ribena for this Australian-first. I promise to take good care of your brand ... and the next time Mrs Woog tells me to go jump on a purple Ribenaberry beanbag? I swear I won't.

I have never written a comment before, anywhere, but I stalk (oops I mean read) you and Mrs Woog and love you both... what a freakin life... you both rock! (and by the way I am going as anonymous cos.. well.. I really don't know how to do the other stuff)

You can tell those delightful people at Ribena that this post made me go and buy some. I plan on making delightful summer mock-tails with it and serving them to all my friends. So when they wonder why their Canadian sales are up slightly, you can take the credit.